A club president has given ‘exit vouchers’ to two of his star players being linked with West Ham as he admits they’re for sale.
West Ham are in the midst of a major overhaul this summer to usher in the Julen Lopetegui era.
Hammers News revealed months ago that West Ham were planning to make as many as eight signings this summer.
That was confirmed once again at the weekend as a report named every position the Hammers want to strengthen.
Technical director Tim Steidten is scouring Europe and South America for top talent.
And he has made moves for a number of players with whom West Ham have been linked over the last year.
Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme is set to be unveiled as West Ham’s first signing of the summer in a £25m deal from Palmeiras.
Two Lille stars on Steidten’s West Ham wishlist
The Irons are also looking to sign two centre-backs and a striker.
And it seems some very good news has emerged from France in that regard this evening.
West Ham have been heavily linked with Lille forward Jonathan David since Steidten arrived at the club.
A couple of months ago journalist Graeme Bailey revealed David, who has scored 147 goals for club and country in his career so far, very much remains on West Ham’s radar for a summer move.
Ahead of the January window it was reported that Steidten was also plotting a move to sign Lille’s hot prospect Leny Yoro.
It was claimed the Hammers were going to try to sign centre-back Yoro and right-back Santos in January or the summer.
Now the club’s president has given ‘exit vouchers’ to his star duo being linked with West Ham.
President gives ‘exit vouchers’ to star duo linked with West Ham
When unveiling Bruno Genesio as Lille’s new manager today, Lille president Oliver Letang took the unusual decision to publicly declare Yoro and David can leave this summer due to their contract situations.
“We have two players who will be allowed to leave: Jonathan (David) and Leny (Yoro),” Letang said in a press conference, as reported by GFFN and Fabrizio Romano.
“Both have the ‘exit voucher’ due to their contract situation.”
David Moyes reportedly vetoed Steidten’s move to sign Yoro in January.
In the meantime a host of other clubs have been linked including PSG and Real Madrid.
But West Ham would have a big advantage over both those clubs given the fact they likely offer Yoro the chance to be a guaranteed starter.
Especially amid reports Lopetegui and West Ham want to sell both Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd following the departures of Angelo Ogbonna and Thilo Kehrer.
Clear change in Hammers philosophy
AC Milan and Aston Villa have both been linked with David too.
West Ham can be heartened by the fact when Steidten sets his mind on a player he – more often than not – gets a deal done.
The German technical director has been targeting players younger aged between 18 and 26.
Crucially he has also been factoring in contract situations so he can stretch West Ham’s reported £100m budget as far as possible.
It is thought both David and Yoro can be signed for reasonable fees this summer given they are going into the final years of their contracts.
You can check out Yoro in action below.